The used forklifts that Eureka Forklifts sell work in a wide range of industries and applications from warehousing, manufacturing, construction, docks, car yards, wreckers, logistics and everything in between. 

Given the wide range of applications forklifts can take on, often their servicing requirements are different. A forklift that’s only used a few times a week to move bulky deliveries into a shop will have a very different service schedule to a forklift that’s running 8-10 hours a day, six days a week. 

Different machines will also have varied maintenance schedules, so it’s important for warehouse managers and forklift operators to understand and know the signs that a forklift may require servicing before those little problems turn into big, expensive ones. 

Why regular forklift servicing is vitally important

Forklift maintenance is a vital part of keeping your vehicle safe and operating by ensuring a combination of inspections and preventative maintenance and repairs is undertaken on your vehicle or fleet of vehicles to keep them running in top condition. A properly maintained forklift is not only safer, but will ensure your productivity remains high ensuring customers are happy with your service and your business keeps operating at peak performance. 

Many forklift manufacturers will have guidelines about when and how often you should be servicing your vehicles; however, age, wear and the usage of your vehicle can impact on how often your forklift may require servicing. 

Below are the most common factors that will impact on how often your forklift requires servicing:-

• Number of operating hours
• The age of the forklift
• The condition of the forklift
• The value of the forklift

What are some other signs your forklift requires servicing?

Most operators will know the common requirements for servicing their forklift like operating hours and the condition of the forklift, but what are some of the things you need to look out for that may indicate your forklift requires servicing? Let’s take a look at the most common issues. 

Leaking oils or fluids

If you’re seeing puddles or drops of liquid under your forklift when it’s left overnight, this may be an indication that something is wrong. Forklifts utilise a variety of different fluids like hydraulic oil and brake fluids that keep everything lubricated and in working order. 

If you have a leak and it’s not fixed in a timely fashion, there’s a good chance your engine may seize up or your hydraulic system gears may have undue friction, causing major damage to your forklift.  

Your battery is draining more rapidly than usual

If your forklift isn’t holding a charge like it used to, this can often be a sign your forklift needs a service. It’s also worth noting a few things about forklift batteries. It’s important to keep their water levels topped up and it’s also worth noting that forklift batteries are only good for a certain amount of charges, so topping up batteries or fast charging is actually just reducing your battery’s lifespan. 

The mast chains are damaged

The mast chain on a forklift is one of the most used elements on the entire machine and, along with the hydraulics, is responsible for doing a large chunk of the heavy-lifting when it comes to moving goods up and down in the warehouse. The signs to look out for when inspecting your mast chains are:-

• Rust
• Kinking
• Corrosion
• Cracks or breaks
• Worn pinheads
• Worn link plates

A damaged chain can cause major damage not only to the internal mechanism on your forklift, but also to any loads that are being lifted at the time if the chain causes the system to seize. Worse still, if a chain breaks during operation, it can be a major safety issue causing serious injury or even a fatality. 

The forklift tines are warped, bent, crooked or distorted

Forklift tines take the brunt of pretty much everything you throw at your forklift so it’s little wonder they start to wear and become distorted over time. Over time, depending on the workload of your tines, they will bend and eventually break. The trick is replacing them in between the period of when it’s first noticed they’re distorted and the point at which they break causing product damage or injury to workers. 

If you’re not sure about your forklift tines, feel free to contact us or bring them into our workshop for evaluation and we can let you know options for replacement if required. 

Sticky masts

When the mast starts sticking, this is pointing to a potential problem, usually with the hydraulic assembly. The mast supports a bulk of the weight when moving loads around so a mast that jerks during use is a liability and needs to be looked at. 

Strange or unusual fumes

Obviously this doesn’t apply to electric forklifts, but if you’re running a diesel or LPG system and you’re noticing unusual fumes coming from your vehicle, this could be a sign that something is wrong and it’s a good idea to have it looked at. 

Forklift Servicing in Brisbane

Eureka Forklifts has been selling and servicing forklifts for almost 30 years so we know a thing or two about used and second hand forklifts. We have a workshop where we can service your forklift or we also provide onsite forklift servicing around the Brisbane area.

 

Please feel free to contact us if you would like to talk about having your forklift serviced.